Krisleeds, Not been on here for a few days so was delighted to read that you are thinking more about giving it a go!! Well done you!
I've got 4 dogs and 4 kids. My dogs range from 1yr old to 11yrs and my kids are 12, 10, 8 and 4 so we have had babies/puppies growing up together.
One thing I was told from my midwife was, get the dogs sorted before the baby arrives. My 3 dogs slept in our bedroom and I did everything with them, that all changed before baby 1 arrived. All dogs sleep downstairs now in the kitchen and we found a nearby forrestry trail that saved my life when the babies were small. It meant I could chuck the dogs in the car and baby in the seat and drive to the walk, open the boot and let them run. Sometimes, I just took a ball and chucked it about to tire them out and stayed at the car with the baby. I also bought a second hand off-road pram. BEST BUY EVER!!lol We used that pram to death and when it died we bought another and another and another!!lol We would have the baby in the pram, a toddler hanging off the handle at the back and a puppy in the shopping basket all to get the big dogs out!hehe. I miss those silly, crazy days!! Get baby involved(obviously a bit young). Enjoy your baby in the pram and use it to get long walks in to give your wife a break and get the dog out! You will be hubby of the year! My OH would take the baby and dogs out and let me get a sleep or a bath in peace and I've never loved him more for those little hours back in the beginning.
Get either a dog gate or crate. Their is no need for your dog to meet EVERY visitor that comes to your house. I will say kitchen if the door goes and close our babygate so the dogs can't rush to the door, let the visitor in and maybe after a time, I might open the gate and let them through. My MIL is unwell so I never let them meet her, they just stay in the kitchen, it's not the end of the world and I don't get stressed.
Give your dog focus. My worker will do anything for a ball. I started in the house, hiding the ball or rolling it about and getting a bit of return then we took it outside. Now I can control all 4 dogs without a leash with just a ball and a wait command. Means you will have easier control if he has focus and you will be able to give him a great run to tire him out just chucking the ball around. Training isn't about going to classes or even getting a 1-2-1 trainer, it's about finding the key to controlling your dog and using that around what you NEED him to do. Our pets only need to know a few command, sit, down, heel, stay, kitchen, out and leave. Workers are much easier to pick up the training so a bit of time every day or so, you will reap the rewards and also have a much easier dog for your baby to grow up with.
Very best of luck. And if you need any more advice about training dogs while raising babies, just ask.
